Princton vs California Institute of Technology

Princeton University and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) stand as two of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world, each offering a unique educational experience. Princeton, nestled in the historic town of Princeton, New Jersey, is renowned for its liberal arts education, while Caltech, situated in the vibrant city of Pasadena, California, is known for its exceptional strength in science and engineering. With acceptance rates of 5.8% and 7.3%, respectively, both universities are highly selective, attracting top students from around the globe. While Princeton boasts a diverse student body with a strong international presence, Caltech's student population is predominantly male and Asian. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these esteemed institutions, including popular majors, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision in choosing the best fit for your academic aspirations.

	California Institute of Technology	Princeton University
Overview
Location	Pasadena, California	Princeton, New Jersey
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Quarter	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	99.0%	96.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	3.9%	4.4%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $75 Graduate: $100	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $75
SAT range	N/A	1460 - 1570
ACT range	N/A	33 - 35
Students submitting SAT score		56.0%
Students submitting ACT score		35.0%
Total number of applicants	13,026	37,601
Total number of admissions given out	510	1,647
Admitted students who chose to enroll	270	1,290
Yield rate	52.9%	78.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$82,122	$78,490
Average net price	$30,162	$20,908
Tuition	$56,364	$56,010
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $10,398 Meal plan: $7,350	Room/dormitory: $10,690 Meal plan: $7,490
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	54.0% Average amount $47,556	65.0% Average amount $47,136
Students receiving federal student loan	5.0% Average amount $5,333	2.0% Average amount $5,278
Students taking out private loans	15.0% Average amount $4,732	2.0% Average amount $8,938

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	987 Men 55.3% Women 44.7%	5,321 Men 50.3% Women 49.7%
Graduate students	1,410 Men 66.7% Women 33.3%	3,157 Men 58.3% Women 41.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	92.2%	82.6%
International students	29.4%	22.8%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	1,572	5,151
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	California Texas Georgia Maryland Florida	New Jersey California New York Pennsylvania Texas

Academics
Popular study areas	Engineering Physical Science Computer and Information Science Biological and Biomedical Sciences Mathematics and Statistics	Social Sciences Engineering Public Administration and Social Service Physical Science Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	3:1	5:1
Institutional accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission	Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	92.9%	97.6%
Dropout rate	4.6%	1.9%
Transferred out	1.7%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $155,297 Year 3: N/A Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $129,693 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $83,177 Year 3: N/A Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $59,996 Year 2: $89,875 Year 3: N/A	Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $122,809 Year 2: $103,078 Year 3: $181,687 Public Policy Analysis (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $75,130 Year 2: $75,518 Year 3: $85,666 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,831 Year 2: $47,260 Year 3: $66,134 Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $65,473 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,463 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,879 Year 2: $47,260 Year 3: N/A Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $37,568 Year 3: N/A Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,447 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: N/A Research and Experimental Psychology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,198 Year 2: $33,993 Year 3: N/A

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